Rev. George Miller
Oct 25, 2026
Psalm 51:1-19
One red door, two red door, three doors,
four…when the weather is nice and the morning is walkable, the kids from St.
Lucas Preschool walk around the church building, counting the red doors.
Five, six, seven doors…it’s a great activity
for the kids to keep their minds sharp, their bodies active.
Eight door, nine. Nine red doors, from the front of the church
to the back of the kitchen.
But these are not just doors; the red is
not just a color. These doors are
physical forms of generosity. The red
ties into Reformation.
The Reformation is an important part of
our faith’s history- a movement begun on Oct 31, 1517, when a monk named Martin
Luther publicly challenged the church, protesting misuse of people’s money and faith.
Luther brought to the forefront of people’s
minds the New Testament teaching of grace when Paul wrote “For by grace you
have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing-it is the gift of
God-not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
In Romans 3:23-24-“Since all have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God, they are now justified by his grace as a
gift, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.”
Martin Luther, in his many dark nights of
reflection and study, read these words and had a revelation-
Though he sinned, though he was imperfect,
though he made many mistakes by intention and by sheer foolishness, there was
nothing he had to do, or say, or an amount he had to pay to receive God’s
favor.
By revisiting the words of Paul, Luther realized
that God’s grace is not something he had to sweat for or make a to-list of
tasks.
God’s grace is right there, has been right
there, grounded in Christ. Grace is God’s
favor freely, generously given to all.
All we do is receive it and believe.
When we do, we create space to be transformed,
sustained, made real. When sharing that
grace with others? Heart-based revolution take place and generosity overflows.
Why use Red for Reformation?
Red signifies zeal and passion. It reminds us of those who lost their lives
for their faith. Red is the color of Pentecost,
when the Holy Spirit fell upon the people.
Red reminds us of Reformation. Reformation reminds us of grace. Grace reminds us of God’s favor.
So when it is a sunny and nice day, and our
children are walking around the church, counting the doors, it is not just
about one red door, two red door, three and four.
It’s about our kids seeing multiple representations
of God’s grace, God’s delight to give us favor, God’s desire for us to live
life to the fullest- in Christ, in wisdom, in the Holy Spirit.
9 red doors all along the walls and foundation
of God’s church, quietly telling everyone around-
“Hey- God loves you; Christ redeems you,
and your sins do not prevent you from entering in.”
Psalm 51 says to the Lord “I am a sinner; weak;
tired, worn. I am empty; broken, and I
seek you out. Reach out, restore me, and
show me the way.”
The Reformation is a reminder to us that
God says- “I choose to reach out to you, I choose to be your fountain and forever
be your shelter.”
Like the people in Siani, and the people
with Joshua, we get each day to say yes
to God and enjoy a life lived in the Lord.
When we believe, when we welcome, we find
Christ coming through the doors of our heart and we find the walls being
rebuilt and calm in our soul.
Amen.
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